Find out water levels in Yukon lakes and rivers

See current water conditions, advisories and warnings

Find out about water-related advisories and warnings and see an overview of water levels and ice conditions on the Flood Hub. You can find:

• a synopsis of the the current situation, including current and forecast snow, ice and water level conditions;
• where active flood advisories and warnings are in place;
• maps and graphs showing water level and flow in lakes and rivers across the Yukon; and  
• flood maps for communities where flood mapping has been completed. 

Access the Flood Hub

See a map of current water levels and flow conditions

The Government of Yukon and Government of Canada monitor the amount of water in Yukon rivers and lakes. These data can be used to monitor current conditions and perform further analyses.

• The Water Survey of Canada provides real time data access to 75 sites in the Yukon. These are mainly large rivers and lakes. Data provided includes current water level conditions and preliminary flow estimates.
• Water Science and Stewardship maintains monitoring locations on small streams in the Yukon. 

Access the Water conditions app

Explore water data in detail 

The Government of Yukon stores current and historical data on water quality, quantity and climate and makes it available on the Water Data Explorer. These data are provided by the Government of Yukon, the Government of Canada, research partners and First Nations.

You can find the following on the Water Data Explorer.

• Continuous measurements of surface water levels, flows, and temperatures
• Continuous measurements of groundwater levels and temperatures.
• Continuous measurements of snowpack conditions.
• Continuous measurements of meteorological parameters.
• Point measurements of snow conditions.
• Water quality (chemistry) data for surface and sub-surface sites throughout the Yukon.

Access the Water Data Explorer

Seasonal forecasts

Every spring, the Government of Yukon issues the Yukon Snow Survey Bulletin and Water Supply Forecast at the start of March, April and May. Flow conditions and a seasonal outlook are highlighted for major river basins. This includes peak water levels in lakes and peak flows in major rivers. 

Research data

We’ve conducted hydrologic and other environmental research in the Wolf Creek research basin near Whitehorse since 1992. The long-term monitoring includes 4 stream flow stations as well as other climate and hydrology monitoring. See the University of Saskatchewan's Global Water Futures and Changing Cold Regions Network Programmes and click on number 12 to view this data. Current research is largely associated with the Global Water Futures project, a 7-year study dedicated to monitoring water threats in an era of global change.

Long-term trends

Climate change is already altering water flows in the north. Snow melt, rain events, permafrost and glaciers control flows in Yukon rivers. Changes to any of these can result in dramatic changes to the timing and volume of flow. The Yukon State of the Environment Report tracks changes in water levels and flows over time.